By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – City officials congratulated representatives from St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church during the Sept. 16 City Council meeting for the parish reaching its 100th anniversary year.
Parishioners Anne Marschner and Donna Vaillancourt received a congratulatory certificate from Mayor Nicole Shkira, and posed for photos with the mayor and council.
In addition to serving as a place of worship, St. Mary Magdalen Parish has hosted family gatherings, provided faith formation classes for children, and nurtured friendships among members.
The church has been a steadfast presence in the community, offering a helping hand to those in need, and has been deeply imbedded in the city’s history.
In the proclamation, Shkira said the church, as part of the “little city with a big heart,” reflects the same values, and in the past 100 years has witnessed countless weddings, baptisms, funerals and celebrations, has heard countless prayers and witnessed many acts of kindness.
In the past, the church also had its own grade school.
Currently, it offers traditional Roman-Latin rite liturgical services in addition to its regular English language parish masses.
The church’s pastoral outreach includes partnering with local groups like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to help those in need within the Melvindale area.
The church will celebrate an anniversary mass at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 4 with a reception following. The church is located at 19624 Wood St.